Confrontation
1443 Words
Lily
I must have been lost in my own world because I did not see Nerissa approaching. She is mad as hell and glaring at me. Shouldn’t she be embarrassed?
“Listen. Vincent is my fiancée. You should not be here.”
I look at her in disbelief. I don’t know what the royal processes are about this stuff, but she has no business voicing her displeasure with my presents here after what she did.
“Did you hear me?” she grits her teeth.
Some women have no shame.
“Did you remember that when you opened your legs for his brother?” I hit back. I don’t know her, but I have concluded from this interaction that I don’t like her. Maybe her hurting Vince has a lot to do with it.
Her jaw drops before her whole face turns red.
“He…he told…how did?”
“Stay away from me and my man,” I say firmly like a protective girlfriend, and she lifts her nose in defiance.
“Vince is my fiancée.”
I am impressed by how quick she recollects herself. I should leave her alone, but I can’t help myself. Vince is a good guy, who noticed me and saved my life when no one else noticed. She has no right claiming him after hurting him like that.
“Was your fiancée, not anymore. You hurt him enough. He is mine now. If you had any decency, you would not even have showed up here.”
She huffs and storms away right when Naomi approaches.
“I see you have had your dose of Nerissa,” Naomi says with an amused tone. She can be impulsive, irritating and childish. Don’t let her get to you,” she advises.
It is an innocent advice, yet my heart breaks for her. Does she know that her husband impregnated another woman? Maybe Vince did not tell anyone about it. It would explain why Nerissa has the audacity to come along on this cruise. It would also explain why she was so shocked that I know.
I immediately change my line of thought. Vince said something to his parents about them knowing why he left home. He also would not have introduced me as his girlfriend if they did not know.
I flash Naomi a smile, but what I want to do is hug her tightly.
“Don’t worry about me. I am used to worst.”
She studies me for a moment and narrows her eyes at me.
“So, you and Vince?”
The mention of Vince gets my stupid cheeks burning.
“Oh, my word! You are blushing and he is not even here!”
Her exclamation is making things worse. Now, I look like a smitten puppy.
I am still blushing when her husband approaches and my mood is immediately replaced by anger.
“Naomi,” he greets his wife as if she is an acquittance, before turning all his attention to me. “I apologize for my brother’s ill manners. A gorgeous lady should always be introduced. I am Alfred of Noan.”
I am stunned for a moment. This man is flirting with me with his wife right here and knowing that I am with his brother. Naomi must be used to this because she does not react at all. Is this what graceful means?
“My Lady?” Prince Alfred questions when I don’t respond.
I want to tell him what an ass he is, but that might just get me in trouble.
“Apologies, Your Highness, I must go,” I say instead and leave him standing with his wife.
It is thirty minutes later when Vince walks in my cabin.
“It is a beautiful day out there. The sun is missing your blessed presents. Why are you in your cabin?”
“Your brother came to greet, and he disgusts me,” I say, still irritated.
He laughs and sits next to me. “He disgusts you,” he repeats my words. “Where have you been all my life?”
I don’t respond to that but ask what has been in my head.
“What do you plan to do with your fiancée?”
“That is exactly what Father, and I were discussing. We are still engaged until our families and elders meet to dissolve the alliance.”
I twist my hairlock and confess, “Well, I kind of told her to stay away from my man.”
“My hero!”
I expected him to be concerned, but he beams, making me laugh.
“Does that mean you will be acting like a couple, sharing a cabin and all?”
He studies me until my face is burning and I can’t maintain eye contact.
“Is my Lily jealous?”
“No!”
He looks questioningly at me. My response sounded too defensive for my liking. I am don’t think I am jealous. I can’t be, our relationship is fake.
“Oh?” he questions with his lips curled. He is enjoying this.
“I just want to know what to expect. That’s all.”
“Then why do I pick up something else, My Love?”
Great! Now I am blushing and looking like a jealous girlfriend. I get up and head towards the door.
“That’s it. I am going for a walk, see you later, Vince.”
He bursts out into laughter and grabs my hand.
“Fine, I won’t tease you anymore. How about we go and paint this cruise red?” he suggests. “The civilians are more fun than royals,” he adds and curls his lips mischievously.
“Say it?” I demand. He has something witty to say, I just know it.
“You know me too well, My Lady. How about we go and find your ex-family and that arrogant ex of yours? I want to see them squirm.”
I can’t help but shake my head. He sounds so excited by this. With that expression on his gorgeous face I would agree even if I did not want to. I let him hold my arm and lead me out of the cabin.
“Are you always like this?”
“Like what, My Love?”
I curse inside, beating myself for asking. The rest of his family are basking in the sun on the balcony and my stupid cheeks are burning. They are going to think I am some smitten teenager.
“Easy going and fun,” I say softly because he is looking expectantly at me, and I immediately regret it. He lets go of my arm and does a silly dance. I am doing my best not to laugh because all eyes are on us.
“My Lily thinks I am fun. Fun, so fun.”
It is a combination of a tap dance and some drunken crazy guy-like move. I can’t suppress my laughter. I am in stitches and his whole family is watching us. I don’t think we are being royal at all, and he does not seem to care.
My tummy is sore from laughing by the time he stops and holds my arm again. This man is something.
We meet excited Tracy and Lucy downstairs.
“You could have told me that he was a prince,” I complain to them when Vince leaves me talking to them and chats to one of the band members.
“We did not realize that you did not know,” Tracy responds, but she is lying. I spent some time with them during the carols rehearsal and I clearly recall asking them how long they have been working with Vince.
“Besides, it’s more romantic this way,” Lucy must tell that I don’t buy Tracy’s response and adds, making me blush.
“Prince Vincent likes you and you seem to like him too. Just be careful of Lady Nerissa. She is cunning,” Tracy advises with a hushed tone while Lucy nods.
“We are Noan citizens. We have been around the royal family for five years now. Don’t eat anything you are not sure of and never let your gut down,” Lucy explains and changes the subject when Vince joins us.
“Sorry, Ladies, I have to steal my inamorata now,” Vince declares and the girls giggle and wink wittily at that.
“Please remind me to get their numbers before this cruise tour is over. I like them,” I tell Vince when he ushers me to the entertainment floor. We walk right into my “imaginary boyfriend”.
- Writer
